Cancer stem cell hypothesis, the concept of treatment is significant updates.
Implications of cancer stem cell research, first of all, the traditional treatment of the whole object of the tumor. The tumor by surgery, drugs to kill or inhibit tumor growth, are the embodiment of this idea. But according to the theory of cancer stem cells, no tumor derived the majority of tumor cells, its growth dependent on very small quantities of stem cell-like cells. At present, the treatment did not effectively attack these cells. Second, many chemotherapy drugs target dividing cells. However, most of dormant stem cells, which are mitotic quiescent, occasional split. This may allow cancer stem cells and other tumor cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs that there are differences. Research has shown, CD34 CD38 a ten leukemia cell sensitivity to daunorubicin was significantly lower than the CD34 CD38 tumor cells ML Cuzman other studies have shown that people who asked the leukemia stem cell resistance to Ara past than other tumor cells . These phenomena may be related to stem cells carrying a variety of proteins (such as the ABC transport protein) in the functionally related. Decreased the effect of these factors, leading to tumor recurrence.
Implications of cancer stem cell research, a new understanding of cancer, may promote emergence of new treatments. Shift the focus of the treatment of cancer stem cells, research on signaling pathways target is to find a new direction in treatment. Note that, for the blood system, liver, intestine, central nervous system and other vital organs, it is necessary for the treatment of cancer stem cells, but also protect the normal stem cells. The feasibility of this idea is that observed in previous studies of individual chemotherapy drugs can kill leukemia stem cells without disruption of normal hematopoietic stem cells. In other organs, such as uterine, breast and prostate, etc., being the normal stem cells may be considered a nursing problem, should be a priority research direction.
From the treatment of cancer stem cell theory to consider the issue, induction of differentiation is one idea. Trying to change the microenvironment to induce cancer cells to normal cells can achieve cure. Currently, the method of inducing differentiation of tumor cells are mostly chemical intervention. Such as the retinoid compounds have a good differentiation of human leukemia induced. However, chemotherapy side effects, drug tolerance, and so are the problems to be solved. The search for the normal tissue stem cells induced by the material is also one of the areas to be explored. Tissue morphogenesis molecules (morphogens), maintenance of molecular histology (morphostats) may be the most potential to induce differentiation of material sources.
Implications of cancer stem cell research, for the damaged tissues and organs, stem cell repair is expected to be an effective tool. For example, by stem cell transplantation for the repair of myocardial injury and so on. Cancer stem cell research, but a reminder that the constant renewal of stem cells may be a source of mutations and lead to cancer. In many cases, there are enough cells to repair requirements, which must continue to differentiate stem cells. This process may accumulate mutations cause cancer. This should cause the attention of the relevant researchers.